The album rotates about the shamanistic experiences of aCzechoslovakian man named Jiri Nepomuk Prihoda. In 1967 he escaped hishome and lived among the Inuit, Samoyed, and Chukchas of Siberia forover 30 years. Apparently Prihoda was witness to or a participant in aritual that involved submersion into ice-cold waters for weeks at atime. This practice was meant to facilitate an understanding of thesubjective nature of the reality all individuals seemingly share.Aranos, whether or not he has captured the hypothermic qualities ofthis practice, has crafted Bering Seawith an ear to the skeptical view of reality these shamans held. Themusic is consumptive in two ways: each sound swallows and regurgitatesitself or other sounds in a series of digital effects, gongs, low windblasts, and processed string and metal whirlpools so that the piecesounds as if it is actually turning itself inside out and reinventingitself throughout. Beyond the musical element, Bering Sea isalso space consuming and, especially out high volumes, tends totransform the environment it is being played in. Shadows that creepacross the room suddenly become far more noticeable and ominous, lightsflicker with a greater intensity, and natural light feels far morecomfortable and safe than the darkness just over the horizon. Onemoment the music can be nearly electric in its outbursts, the sizzle ofunseen energy bursting and dying immediately in a constant flux ofthoughts, and the next moment it can be wholly material. The spirit ofthis record is both terrestrial and magickal and it moves between thetwo realms seamlessly. Aranos actually remarks on the back of therather beautiful packaging that he kept this album at roughly an hourlong because of concerns related to disrupting the "space-timecontinuum;" I highly suggest listening to this on repeat and becomingcompletely consumed by its rumbling chaos and strange movements. Themore these gusts of sounds spill over me and get inside my head, themore my brain shakes and slowly transforms the objects around me.Besides, Aranos does provide a small spot of relief in the last fewminutes of the album as reversed singing and guitar begin to fade inand provide a ray of light over the flow of introspection thatpreceeded it. It's as though Aranos has gathered everyone around a fireto talk about what's just happened and to sing happily of its effects. Bering Sea is available for purchase from Aranos; all the details needed are available at his website. Read More
